Vox pop - Copenhagen

What we were all hoping for was a worldwide framework of what we were going to try to achieve and an allocation of what each country had to achieve. That obviously has not happened, and I think that while politicians are trying to come up with a solution, we have got to get on with our part to achieve cuts in emissions independently of them.

‘Since our housing takes up 27 per cent of our carbon emissions, this is a great place to start, with retrofitting programmes. It is do-able; it costs a lot of money but not outrageously so. It is time for some bottom-up action.’

John Doggart, chair, Sustainable Energy Academy

‘The jury is still out on whether it is a glass half empty or glass half full situation, but what is not yet in the debate is the importance of industry in leading with this agenda.

‘There was a fair amount of timidity in the pledges that were made - although not by the UK. We needed to make them more ambitious in terms of national CO2 reduction targets because buildings by far represent the highest CO2 emissions, but that has not been taken on board by international governments.’

John Alker, head of advocacy, UK Green Building Council

‘I did not have any hopes for Copenhagen. I thought it was going to be a great disappointment - I did not have any expectations at all that the politicians have got even the first grasp of what needs to done.

There needs to be agreement about carbon sequestration in buildings. We need plant-based materials which absorb carbon during their growing phase to be recognised for doing so and given the same importance as technologies such as photovoltaic panels which have a huge amount of carbon emissions locked up in their manufacture.’

Tom Woolley, professor of architecture, Centre for Alternative Technology

‘There was obviously an opportunity for a global agreement, and we were hoping that everyone was going to come together and define some commitments for cutting carbon emissions worldwide. If there had been binding agreements, it would have been helpful for everyone returning from the summit come back with renewed enthusiasm and inspiration about how to implement these cuts.

‘Instead of waiting around, we need to get on with the small things at the moment. It does not need to be about installing renewable energy at the moment: just simple things like insulation that will cut emissions significantly and bring down energy demand, which is the first thing we need to do before we start thinking about generating it.’

Tim Ashton, director, Hunters Architects and Planners

‘For me, it was not so much about the road to Copenhagen as it was the road from Copenhagen. I think we’re making progress at home - feed-in-tariffs are going to make a difference in social housing, for example. But the big issue is how we are going to finance the new technology, and that is something we need to hear from government about.’

Paul Davies, group carbon manager, Wates Living Space

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